ROME -- Catania airport reopened on Tuesday evening, after closing due to ongoing activity from Mount Etna, SAC, the airport’s managing company has said. 

  Etna, the stratovolcano, stirred to life this week, showing new activity and raining ash over areas of Catania in Sicily. The volcanic cloud emitted by Etna’s Voragine crater could be seen from kilometres away, with the growing plume of smoke covering the surrounding area in a layer of ash. 

  On Tuesday evening, the airport returned to full operation, after all arriving and departing flights were halted to due to volcanic ash in the atmosphere and on runways.

  “In close cooperation with the airlines and all those involved in airport operations, Sac is confident that all services and regular air connections will be restored as soon as possible” a note from Sac, the company that manages Catania Airport, reads. 

  The airport operator also informed passengers on X, “Due to the decrease in volcanic activity, flight operations will resume.” 

  The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, INGV, in Catania registered strong strombolian activity on Etna. From 03:59 on Tuesday morning, the activity at the Voragine crater developed into a lava fountain, producing an emission of ash in an east southest direction. INGV also noted that the lava spill began from the Bocca Nuova crater. The seismic amplitude of the volcanic tremor has further increased. 

  The INGV however has lowered the warning levels from red to amber, with observations from thermal cameras suggesting that explosive activity is decreasing, despite ongoing ash emissions. The volcanic tremor level remains high but INGV suggests it is set to decrease. 

  Catania airport was last closed earlier this month on July 5 due to an eruption. 

lw